An Evaluation Method of Crack Variation on Structural Performance of Concrete Dams with Fusion Entropy Based on Observation and Simulation

This study proposes a method for evaluating crack variations on structural performance of concrete dams using observational and computational output. The structural performance is represented by the system entropy in concrete dams, and the stress-strain field is established by incorporating observations and simulations for entropy calculations. Considering the characterization ability of the sample points, the weighted entropy sequence is constructed with a selected index system. Thereafter, the weighted fusion entropy is successively separated and analyzed with rescaled range (R/S) analysis, and the Hurst exponent difference and corresponding warning indicators are calculated to quantify the destructiveness of the crack variation. The application of the presented method is elaborated in a concrete arch dam, and the behavior of J01-crack exhibits no significant destructiveness on its structural condition. The analysis results verified the feasibility of the proposed method in destructiveness evaluation of crack behavior on the structural performance of concrete dams.